California, ahead of the curve, may benefit from climate change

Because California is so far ahead of other states in preparing for climate change, it may actually benefit economically from their failures as those states’ residents go west. The Golden State economy may grow by $25.1 billion as 152,000 jobs are created by mid-century, according to an analysis conducted by the American Security Project. Prop 23 backers, take note!

On the other hand, if sea levels rise by as much as some predictions estimate, protecting coastal areas around the San Francisco Bay alone would offset the economic expansion.

Then there’s the water problem. If the world’s other large greenhouse gas emitters — California is the 12th largest — don’t follow California’s lead, the Sierra snowpack could decrease by 70 to 90 percent, creating a dire water scarcity problem that would cost $121 million a year.